Fool
by TokiyoWind
Summary: It was all unintentional; The smiles, the laughs, the moments they shared. They weren't supposed to mean anything, but they did. She wasn't supposed to fall for her former sensei, but she did. And for that, she was a fool.
1. Confrontation

_**A/N: ** _This is a story that you, my lovely readers, chose for me to publish next after ending Mistake! I thank you for taking your time to answer my poll and the next highest rank will have its chance to be published eventually as well. I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you! The sequel of Mistake is coming out soon as well! I don't know how soon, but stay tuned! (Oh, that rhymed a little!)

Summary: It was all unintentional; The smiles, the laughs, the moments they shared. They weren't supposed to mean anything, but they did. She wasn't supposed to fall for her former sensei, but she did. And for that, she was a fool.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does!

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**_Title: Fool_**

**_Rating: Mature_**

**_Chapter One: Confrontation_**

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Sakura Haruno, at the ripe age of twenty, was finally a fully grown adult, capable of handling situations on her own. She was at last allowed to take missions without being accompanied by another ninja, with the exception of S-ranked missions. Tsunade had been protective over her for the past few years, treating her as if she was her own daughter. The concern was understandable, but it felt great to finally have a little freedom.

She no longer had to be kept an eye on. Her comrades never used to watch her like a hawk as they used to. In addition, Sakura was able to move out of her parents' house and into her own apartment complex. With the incomes from working full shifts at the hospital, it was not difficult paying the monthly rent. Luckily, she had found a home farther away from Naruto's complex, located toward the eastern side of the Hidden Leaf Village. It was far beyond irritating having to run into him occasionally on the streets, especially when it was one of those days where he was in the mood to grab a quick bite of ramen.

Although, Sakura still trained with the boy from time to time. Team Seven would reunite every week on a Monday to train together. Surprisingly, the squad was still tightly intact, not that she wasn't fond of that fact. It was nice to have some bonding time with her past teammates. Naruto would often be absent, however. Tsunade recently nominated Naruto as her successor and was teaching him the tricks of being a good Hokage, so he rarely showed up to spar.

On the other hand, Sai, Yamato, and Kakashi would always be present (Kakashi of course being the very last one to show up). They sparred for approximately an hour, or would sometimes spend that time period idly lounging around and exchanging a few small conversations.

Everything was sweet and normal, or at least, almost.

Sakura supposed it was only one of those phases that growing adults went through. Whenever she was around Kakashi, her knees would turn into jello and her stomach would churn uncomfortably. If he gave her a masked smile, her insides would melt. If he touched her in some way, brushing past her or trying to give her a comforting pat on the shoulder, her face would grow redder than a tomato. These were certainly symptoms of a crush, or maybe even something more, but she didn't even dare to consider those ideas.

This was just a phase, she would tell herself, this was all only a phase.

"Sakura, watch out!"

Before she could even heed the warning she received, Sakura took a full blown kick to the stomach. The kunoichi found herself flying across the training field, her body rolling in frantic motions as she landed on the ground. Holding a hand to her forehead, she propped herself up with her arm, blinking furiously to clear her blurred vision.

"You need to have constant focus, Sakura."

Lifting her head, she saw that Kakashi was towering over her, his sole eye burning a hole right through her. She realized that she had been lacking concentration at the task at hand and her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. The Copy Ninja extended his gloved hand and she grasped onto it. He pulled her up with quick ease and she tried to avoid his glare as she dusted off the collected grime on her shorts. Sai and Yamato, their sparring partners, approached them shortly after.

With a raised brow, Sai questioned, "Did I kick you too hard, Ugly?"

"No, I'm fine," reassured the pinkette, holding herself back from lashing out at Sai for calling her such an insolent nickname. "Just a bit clumsy, is all."

"Don't forget your lack of focus," added Kakashi, lifting his index finger and waggling it from side to side, as a parent would do to their child when they committed a wrong doing.

She shot him a deathly glare and folded her arms in front of her chest. Yamato sighed drastically, knowing that teasing her was not the correct way to approach the predicament.

Kakashi seemed to have reached the message and wearily scratched the back of his head. "So, are you alright, Sakura?"

"I don't know," she lied dryly. "I guess I'm just tired from overworking at the hospital."

"You're not ill, are you?"

Kakashi's hand began to reach over to feel her temperature, but she swatted it away, her nose scrunching.

"Like I said before, I'm perfectly fine."

"Are you sure?" asked Yamato, worriedly.

"I am absolutely sure that I'm fine," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, I have to get going. I have a boatload of paperwork to finish tonight and I can't afford to waste any more time."

"Would you want me to accompany you?" offered the silver-haired jonin, shrugging lazily as he gave her a one-eyed stare.

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she shook her head. As much as she wanted him to tag along, she simply just could not allow it.

"No thanks. I'll be okay, I can manage."

Sakura took off before her comrades could pursue her any further, her swift steps taking her to the exit of the training facility. She heard Yamato call out a quick goodbye in the distance, the confusion evident behind his tone, but she paid no attention to it. All she wanted was to get away from them, and to get away from _him_.

The feelings had been becoming stronger, more overpowering and overwhelming. It was too much for her too handle and she was positive that she would soon burst, releasing all that was within her. Locking her emotions deep inside of her was the most hardest thing that she had ever done. It was frustrating, indeed.

She hated the fact that she adored Kakashi. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of her being attracted to him. It was horribly, terribly wrong. That kind of a relationship would be looked down upon by the entire village. It broke all morals and taboos. It was the unthinkable! Yet, despite these facts, her heart still was set aflutter with each and every glance he gave her, whether it was short or long.

Grunting, Sakura continued to push her way through the crowded streets of Konoha, making her way to her apartment building. Every second felt like a painstaking eternity. After a good, long ten minutes, she entered the apartment building and couldn't help but to release a deep sigh of relief. The stairs, however, felt like an unending, spiraling path of hell. Once she made it to the top, her legs were already worn out and she could barely move her limbs.

Perhaps Sai had given her a rough kick after all.

Her feet dragged against the wooden flooring as she trudged toward her complex, her pace slowing. All of a sudden, before she could make a turn at the corner, an obnoxiously loud address of her name brought her spinning around to confront a blond-headed female.

"Ino, what a suprise," muttered Sakura, placing her hand against the wall to hold herself steady. "Why are you here anyways?"

"What's with the grumpy attitude?" teased Ino, smiling wickedly. "Seriously, can't someone take some time out of their schedule to talk to their best friend! What, are you on your period again?"

"No, and I am certainly most not grumpy!" snapped Sakura. "I guess I'm fatigued from today's training."

"I can see that, Forehead. You look like you just got out of a dumpster."

Feeling her cheeks grow hot, the pinkette began to comb out her locks. Was her appearance really that bad?

"I'm just kidding!" laughed Ino, patting her on the shoulder. "Gee, can't you take a joke?"

"Sorry," murmured Sakura, tucking an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. "I am extremely exhausted. I can't focus on anything right now."

Now, she was not being completely deceit with Inoichi's daughter. She was in fact tired and only wanted to lie down on her bed and pull herself underneath the sheets. That was only a portion of her problem, nevertheless, and was still frustrated from trying to hold in all of her personal emotions.

"What's the matter, Forehead?" began the blonde, her expression growing serious.

Sakura looked elsewhere. "It's nothing, Pig."

"Oh, it is definitely something!" exclaimed Ino. "Come on, tell me! You can trust me!"

A pair of beryl eyes rolled out of annoyance. Ino could not be trusted at all. There would be some occasions where she did actually keep a secret, but after a while it always managed to slip off the tip of her tongue. The following events would always be chaotic. The entire village would grow aware of the secret and people would start to talk in hushed whispers among the large crowds. The stories would change somehow, the changes always either being little or dramatically large. Ino was perhaps the most well-known person to blab about, spreading gossip about the tiniest things.

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Ino?" hissed Sakura, pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead.

"Oh, that's right!" she recalled, holding a finger to her chin. "I'll catch you later, Sakura! Don't think I've let you off the hook though. I'll choke the answer out of you eventually!"

Ino scurried from the hallway quickly. Once Sakura was certain that she was alone again, she released a deep sigh of relief. She would just have to avoid the Yamanaka for the next few weeks until her concern was forgotten. Who knew what could have happened if that girl managed to find out about her love interest? Havoc would surely be resulted.

Eyebrows furrowing, she rubbed her temples as she resumed her short tread home. The first thing to be done after arriving at her complex would to take a long, hot bubble bath. She would then organize and sign her paperwork, cook herself a nice dinner, and plop onto her soft bed to catch up on her sleep. Hopefully by that time she would forget all of the conflicting thoughts wafting within her mind.

She groaned inwardly, hanging her head. "It is only a phase," she reminded herself, distastefully. "It is just a phase. Nothing more. I most certainly do not have a crush on Kaka…"

Stopping in her footsteps, Sakura stared wide-eyed at the silver-haired jonin leaning against the door that led to her complex, his fathomless gaze glued onto her. "K-Kakashi-sensei," she swallowed nervously.

Her mind abruptly began to reel with worrying thoughts and questions. Had he heard what she said? If so, what was going to be his reaction? She wanted to shake her head furiously and tear down a wall. There were no words that could describe how embarrassed and frustrated she felt. It was a hurricane of panicked emotions, one that was unstoppable.

Finally, just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he spoke.

"Yo." Kakashi rose a hand in the air.

Wait. What?

"I thought I'd come by and check on you since you were a bit jumpy earlier," he continued, taking a step closer. "How are you feeling?"

Had he not heard her after all?

A part of her wanted to ask him if he had, but she refrained herself from doing so.

"I'm okay, sensei," she answered silently, reaching into her pocket to retrieve her keys. "You really didn't have to come all this way to check on me."

"I didn't have to, indeed. To be honest, I was contemplating whether I should see you or not. I knew you'd be stubborn about it."

Rolling her eyes, she moved past him and started to unlock her door . "Gee. Thanks, Kakashi-sensei," she said blatantly.

The door opened and she stepped into her complex, Kakashi following soon after. Sakura attempted to ignore him for the first few minutes, hoping that he would receive the signal that it was time for him to take his leave. Unfortunately, he showed no signs of considering a departure and continued to stand close by her, his glare burning a hole in the back of her head.

"You weren't invited inside," Sakura finally noted, preparing herself a glass of water.

The jonin appeared at her side and he rested his crossed arms on the counter top. "But I do recall you entering your complex and leaving the door open for me. I do think it is a form of an invitation, don't you agree?"

Sakura exhaled harshly. "Why do you keep bugging me, Kakashi-sensei? I told you, I'm already fine. Nothing is wrong so why are you still here?"

A hand firmly grasped onto her wrist. The pink-haired kunoichi felt her cheeks grow warm as she glanced back at the masked face hovering above her shoulder. "I'm still here, Sakura, because I care."

Her pulse quickened at the realization of how close he was to her. A strong, musky scent slipped past her nostrils, sending tremors running throughout her body. Blinking, she snapped out of her trance and squirmed away from his grasp, moving to the adjacent side of the counter. She shuddered, raking her pink hair back uneasily. This was her former mentor. She could not be blushing at him. She _shouldn't_ be blushing at him!

"Sakura," started Kakashi, raising a puzzled eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I've just been a bit…conflicted lately."

He hummed rhythmically, tapping his fingers repeatedly. "Do you feel comfortable talking about it?"

"No." The word left her mouth abruptly. She glanced quickly at her visitor and she swore she saw a feeling of rejection cross his eye. Mentally kicking herself, she sighed. "I mean…just not yet. It's really complicated and I can't put it into words."

There was a short pause before he approached her and ruffled the top of her head, like how he used to back when she was a genin. He stared at her for the longest time, as if he was trying to decode the expression on her face. "Whenever you're ready," he finally said. "I'm always here for you, Sakura."

Sakura couldn't exactly recall what had happened after that. No more conversations had been exchanged and Kakashi at last made his departure, telling her something that she was now unable to remember. All she could think about was how close he had been to her and how achingly wonderful his warmth was. After quickly reminiscing, it then came to her that he was expecting her to eventually open up to him about her predicament.

Slumping against the counter, she hit her forehead against the dark granite with a loud thump.

When she said no, she should have left it at that. There was no way in hell that she was going to explain to him that she was attracted to him.

No. Fucking. Way.

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**_A/N:_**It is a short chapter, I realize, so I apologize. I promise you the next chapter will be much longer. I can't really say if this story will be explicit or not. I surmise that this factor will be determined as we delve deeper into the plot.

(Feel free to ask questions. You can include it in your review or simply send me a PM. Thank you!)

**_Reviews Are_ _Appreciated!_**


	2. An Uneventful Night

**_A/N:_** Hello my dears. Has it been long? I can't tell. I wasn't keeping track, so my bad, aha! I hope this chapter makes it up to you! And if you have some time on your hands afterwards, visit my profile page and take a look at the new poll! I'm just curious to see all of your answers! (:

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

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_**Fool**_

_**Chapter Two: An Uneventful Night**_

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Sakura came to a realization, even though she had not seen or heard of Kakashi for a week, even though she was most likely miles away from him and stuffed away in her crummy hospital office working her heart away, that she would never be able to stop thinking about him.

The pencil she held in her hand was ready to snap between her fingers. The desk beneath her resting arms was practically trembling from her uncontrolled and frustrated shaking, and the tall stacks of paperwork were threatening to tumble down. Every single minute of every single day, her thoughts always managed to trail back to that silver-headed beast. She absolutely hated it! There was never a time where she could go on with her daily routine without having to encounter images of him.

It was ridiculous. He was her former mentor and fourteen years her senior, for Kami's sake! She wondered why she even dreamed of having such a relationship.

Her fingers twitched and she glared at the unfinished document sitting in front of her. Sucking in a long, deep breath, she continued her task, silently muttering reminders to herself that she did _not_ have a crush on Kakashi. It was only a phase, she would then tell herself. It was only a short cycle that came and went during a person's growth. Perhaps it was even an infatuation, like it had been with Sasuke.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Sakura practically jolted in her seat. She set her writing utensil down and gazed up at the dark-headed figure standing in the doorway. She smiled sheepishly and tried to soothe her stiff joints. "Shizune," she greeted quietly.

A moment of silence passed before the said woman spoke, raising a confused brow. "Are you alright, Sakura? You seem a bit jumpy."

Sakura felt her posture drop a bit. "I-I'm okay."

Her superior nodded slowly, as if knowing her true condition, and strode toward her desk. A thick folder was dropped gently to the side of her paperwork with the words "To be signed" scribbled down in the center. "When you're done, I'd like you to deliver this to Lady Tsunade at the Hokage tower. These are important documents that need to be looked over," explained Shizune.

"Hai," murmured Sakura, pulling the folder closer to herself.

"Oh, and Sakura? Take it easy once you get home, alright?"

Her head snapped up and she blinked rapidly at the departing female. Her mind slowly registered and processed those words. Was her exhaustion that obvious, or was it that she was a terrible liar?

She sighed. Perhaps it was both.

Sakura mustered up the remaining of her energy to finish her incessant amount of work, using up the last two hours of her shift at the same time. The young pink-haired kunoichi bid her farewells to her fellow coworkers before stepping out into the open. The sky had noticeably turned into a mixture of pink and orange, clouds dotted in various places. The streets were clear of large swarms of villagers and ninja. Shops were closing, people were returning home, and the peaceful night was sluggishly closing in.

Normally, she would go back to her apartment complex at such an hour. However, she still had to make a trip to the Hokage tower in order to drop off the folder Shizune had given her. As much as she hated being so responsible and dependable, she knew that it was better if she fulfilled her duties instead of bailing. Sakura just hoped that Tsunade wouldn't keep her too long.

By the time she reached the tower, she could already feel the weariness overcoming her system. Stifling a tired yawn, she knocked on Tsunade's door and allowed herself in. Sharp blue eyes fell on her as she entered the office. There was a familiar odor of alcohol wafting around in the atmosphere, which usually meant that Tsunade had been drinking sake again.

Refraining from pinching the bridge of her nose, Sakura bowed slightly in respect. "Shishou,"she addressed politely.

"Sakura," said the Hokage, "Shizune called saying that you'd drop by. Is it another delivery?"

"As always," answered Sakura as she carefully placed the large folder on her former mentor's desk.

Tsunade gave the folder a quick glance, the irritation of having to do even more work evident on her face. She pushed the assignment aside slightly before grasping her sake bottle and taking a small gulp. She cleared her throat and smiled, "Thank you, Sakura. I apologize if it's a bother running around, doing errand after errand."

Chuckling, the kunoichi sheepishly rubbed the back of her cold neck. "It's not a problem, Shishou. Really."

"Well I appreciate your hard work. You are dismissed and I will see you on Tuesday at work, correct?"

"Of course, Shishou."

"Very well then. Have a good night."

Once Sakura was outside of the tower, she let out a big breath, extending her arms outwards as she took in the fresh air. The delivery had been shorter than expected, but maybe Tsunade had sensed her exhaustion. Either way, she was grateful that her day was finally coming to an end. She was unusually eager to get home. Unlike most days where she wanted to get up and move around, she had a great desire to simply lay around and act lazy.

It was believed by many that in order to clear one's mind, it was necessary to distract oneself with a list of tasks. Sakura, however, believed in no such thing. Every time she tried, she ended up being more aggravated than before. She wasn't exactly capable of occupying her mind, let alone ignore the bitter thoughts that ran in and out of her head. Anyone who suggested that she should work during one of her crabby moods was shunned for at most a week, depending on how irritated she was.

Anyone who tried to make her open up and talk about it received an immediate deathly glare, or even a shove.

Normally, people would resort to lying to escape those kinds of situations, but Sakura knew very well that she was not an adept liar. And when someone caught her lying, it was then they would never stop confronting her.

Finally reaching the comfort of her apartment complex, she dragged herself in, stripping her clothes off one by one until she reached the bathroom. Her hand reached out to pull at the door behind her, not completely shutting it, and moved to turn the shower on. Sakura gave her reflection in the mirror a short glance, making note of her noticeably pale azalea locks hanging beside her cheeks. She sighed and stepped beneath the hot water, feeling the heat climb down her spine.

She made sure to wash her hair three times with shampoo before proceeding to use the conditioner. The shower had been quick, for she only wanted to throw herself onto her bed and catch up with her sleep. After dressing into a pair of running shorts and a loose sweater, she grabbed her brush and gently combed all of the knots out of her hair.

It was moments before she at last crawled onto her bed, one cheek mushed against her favorite pillow. The kunoichi gave the clock sitting on the nightstand to the right of her a blank stare. It was nearly nine o'clock, and Sakura was sure that she had never been so tired in her entire life.

Her eyelids fluttered closed for only a second before she heard a silent clanging from outside of her window. Growing somewhat alarmed, she rose to her feet and tiptoed over to the window. She waited, and when she heard the sound again, she drew the curtains aside.

A frightened squeal escaped her throat when she saw that a dog-like mask was right in her face. She stumbled back a bit as she glared at her unknown visitor. There was a large cloak wrapped around the figure, the hood pulled over their head, making it impossible to identify the stranger. There was a pause, and then it occurred to her that her resting time had been disrupted.

Folding her arms across her chest, she frowned at the ANBU agent sitting on her window sill. "I know you might be on a mission or patrol duty, but you seriously need to watch where you're going! You scared the living crap out of me too," she finished with a mutter.

"Oh, sorry…sorry." Her visitor rested their chin on an upturned hand, their arm propped up on their crossed legs, a familiar gesture that Sakura came to memorize and recognize over the last couple of years.

Her beryl eyes widened as the hood was dropped, the mask being withdrawn afterward. The absence of their ANBU gear revealed a weary Kakashi Hatake. It was obvious that he had fought an enemy or two from looking at his worn out apparel, and there was a faint discoloration around his sole eye.

For a moment, she was baffled. After having tried to get rid of that man from her thoughts for the whole day, she was only rewarded with seeing him in person. Then it hit her that she was scared senseless by her former mentor and she was suddenly flustered.

"Y-You!" she finally sputtered, briefly pointing at him. "Why on Earth are you here? And don't you know it's getting late? Oh no — my neighbors! What if they heard me scream?"

The jaded puzzlement was evident on his masked face. "Okay…first of all, it's only nine, which I know isn't late in your book. Secondly, if you were more in it instead of out of it, you wouldn't have been scared. And lastly, is it ever wrong for me to visit my favorite student?"

Sakura found herself growing redder with each passing second. Her mind frantically went over his statement before pushing the first two lines away. "So do you visit Naruto and Sai at times like this as well?" she shot back with a rising brow.

Kakashi sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can we bring this conversation into your kitchen?"

Her lips pressed together as she contemplated over whether she should allow him inside. She needed her privacy, but he looked terrible, and considering that he rarely took time out of his own schedule to run around the village looking for someone, she stepped aside. Rubbing her temples, she murmured, "Fine, fine. Help yourself to anything you can scavenge. I'll be there in a sec."

He nodded before hopping through her window and striding out her bedroom. She groaned inwardly and searched for a clip to bring her hair up into a bun, cursing silently beneath her breath. "Dear Kami, why does everything bad have to happen to me?"

An abrupt, awkward cough echoed in the hallway."Uh, Sakura…is there a reason why your undergarments are lying around on the floor?"

Sakura bit back a hiss, the clip pinching a part of her scalp as she jolted in place. Heart racing, she hurried out and discovered Kakashi bending over, his hand reaching out to grab onto her white, lacy panties. She instantly slapped his hand away and snatched her underwear, bra, and the other forgotten articles of clothing from the carpet floor.

"Don't just pick it up!" she snapped, her cheeks growing bright red. "Pervert!"

He appeared taken aback by her rude comment. "You know, after helping you countless times with your period issues back then, I'm surprised that you're calling me a pervert only now," he said nonchalantly, taking a stool by the kitchen counter top.

She opened her mouth to say something in response, but her words could not be found. Turning on her heel, she left the room to throw her clothes into the hamper. She was practically fuming by the time she returned, her cheeks slightly bloated from the air being held within her mouth. She stood still, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Impatiently, she implored, "Why are you here, sensei?"

Kakashi turned to look at her, his fingers thrumming slowly against the granite. "It seems like you're far more exhausted than I am. It's rare to see you so agitated," he noted quietly.

Sakura's pent up anger suddenly vanished and she began to feel unusually hollow. Her eyes fell a bit and she scolded herself for her horrible attitude. He was clearly fatigued and was in no state of being the target of her frustration. Holding a hand to her forehead, she exhaled, "I'm sorry for being such a jerk, sensei. It's just been a really long day."

He hummed and he moved back into his original position, his back turned to her. She reluctantly claimed the stool beside him, their shoulders gently colliding as she settled in. She swallowed nervously, still not accustomed to being so close to him. "I'm a terrible hostess, aren't I?"

There was a brief period of silence. "No, you aren't. I'm sure you just need some rest is all." He tapped her softly on the back in reassurance. "Besides, it's my fault for coming on such short notice. I just had to relay a message from Yamato, Sai, and I."

"A message?" she echoed.

"It's about tomorrow's training plans," he began to explain. "I don't think you are aware of this, but tomorrow is going to be the first time in two months since Naruto last trained with us. We just wanted to make sure that you'd be present for the event. It's almost like a little reunion, I suppose."

The mention of Naruto's name put a smile on her face. In spite of his annoying, boastful personality, she was glad that she was finally going to see him after days of continuous absences. He was her best friend and she looked up to him like an older brother. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," Sakura exclaimed, happily. "So, are we just going to train?"

Kakashi shrugged lazily. "Perhaps we can have a bite at Ichiraku Ramen afterward," he suggested.

"And you'll actually be paying this time?" she wondered aloud.

"Maybe, maybe not. I might just have to trick Yamato into paying Naruto's meals for me."

Of course.

Sakura stifled a laugh and jumped off her stood. She walked over to the fridge, grabbing a glass cup from on the way, and poured herself some of her special homemade lemonade. She glanced over at the slumped figure by the counter, watching as he tiredly rubbed his lone eye. "Do you want anything to drink?" she called out.

"No, thanks." His head rose a little, enough so that he could capture her gaze. "Listen, Sakura. I'm really sorry for showing up out of nowhere."

"And I'm really sorry for being a prick," she answered. "I think we're on even terms on this one, Kakashi-sensei."

The jonin didn't bother arguing back. Instead, he slouched back into his idle position and yawned.

Curiously, Sakura strode toward him and sipped at her refreshment, her wondering emerald eyes glued onto him. "You look pretty tired yourself, Kakashi-sensei. What was your mission about?"

He murmured something inaudible before breathing, "You should know that all ANBU missions are classified by now, Sakura. You're…what? Twenty?"

The shock was evident on the pink-haired girl's face. "I'm surprised you can guess my age correctly, but get Naruto's and Sai's age wrong every single time."

"Well it's difficult since those two lack maturity," he reasoned out, waving one hand around in a gesturing motion.

"Okay…" Sakura took a minute to ponder. She started again, "Well, allow me rephrase my question. Um, was your mission time-consuming?"

"I've been gone since yesterday morning, so I'm going to say yes."

"…Did you encounter enemies?" She had a hunch having this question answered was probably unnecessary, taking his worn out appearance into consideration, but she wanted to confirm her suspicions.

"Sakura, just how much are you going to inquire? You know I can't reveal anything important about the mission," he said, giving her an odd stare.

"But I'm not asking you to give me the objective. I'm just asking if you encountered enemies," the kunoichi interjected.

Kakashi sighed in defeat. "Alright. Yes, I did run into a few."

She was satisfied with his answer and stood beside him, content. Then her mind began to click and her medical instincts kicked in. "You're not badly injured, are you?" she asked with a concerned tone.

"I might have gotten a couple of scratches, but it's nothing I can't handle," he answered honestly.

After years of seeing Kakashi avoid all medical attention, she knew that it would be impossible to convince him that he needed to be healed on the spot. She wouldn't blame him for hating hospitalization. Although she did not completely learn his history, she was aware that his past was what brought up this small hatred for hospitals. If the medical attention was urgent, he would normally resort to letting himself into her apartment to be healed, but chances like those were rare occasions.

Sakura nodded. "Alright, but I don't want to find out that you've collapsed in the middle of the street."

"I'm sure that won't happen," he chuckled. He shot her a masked smile, giving her an unsettling feeling squirming about in her stomach. Rising to his feet, he tucked the stool back beneath the granite counter top. "Anyways, I think it's about time I head out."

She found herself feeling somewhat disappointed, but she shook her head and accepted his plan of departure. Knowing that it would be strange seeing an ANBU agent emerging from her apartment door, she led him back into her faintly lit bedroom and rested her shoulder against the cold wall beside the open window. He carefully stepped onto the window sill, strapping his dog-like mask back onto his face and tightening the cloak around his neck.

Sakura watched with a glazed look as he prepared to take off, but he abruptly paused and turned to her. His bare hand tightly grasped onto her wrist, his frozen touch stinging her skin. She stiffened and held her breath as the mask came closer. There was a small squeeze, and then a muffled whisper. "Take it easy, Sakura."

And with that having said, the ninja leaped off the building. She observed his retreating figure until it disappeared around the corner and she heaved a large breath, resting her crossed arms across the window sill. There was no denying that her feelings had grown exceptionally stronger than the last time she had seen him.

"Sakura-san?"

Sakura looked out the window and saw her elderly next-door neighbor, Mrs. Inaba. "Inaba-san," she greeted with a wave.

"Who was that person that came out of your window just now?" asked the kind old woman, her frail voice almost inaudible.

"Ah, uh…I was just being informed about my duties, Inaba-san! You know…shinobi stuff…" She mentally slapped herself for such a lame excuse.

There was a mischievous glint in her neighbor's pale eyes, one that could not be missed, one that made her uneasy. "Okay, I get it, I get it," smiled Mrs. Inaba. "But next time, Sakura-san, dear, keep your screams down a little, yes? You don't want the entire neighborhood overhearing you having fun."

Was she…implying what Sakura thought she was implying?

Sakura grew bright red and she began to panic. "N-No, n-no, no! Inaba-san, it is _not _what you think it is!"

It was going to be a long night, she figured.

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**_Reviews Are Appreciated!_**


	3. Feelings

_**A/N:**_I have been having a rough first couple of days of school. I am now moving into I think the 3rd week of school and I must say, I am stressed. I love all of my teachers, with the exception of my math and history teachers (they're, eh, okay). However, I had to head over to Illinois because of a wedding and the flight was booked last year! My parents did not allow me to stay behind so I was forced to make up for a presentation, a three day lab, five tests/quizzes, classwork, and a bunch of that other homework crap! (If you are wondering why I have so many quizzes already, it's because I am taking advanced/honors classes) On the bright side, I got to hang out with my cousins and I finally met my cousin from London for the first time! Well, just bear with me for this rest of the year. I think Sophomore and Junior year are going to be the worst, I just wanna be a Senior already. ;A; I apologize for the large rant, and I do hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto!

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**_Fool_**

**_Chapter Three: Feelings_**

* * *

Trying to convince her elderly neighbor that Sakura's unexpected visitor last night did not play an erotic role took a lot of time from her sleeping schedule. It was certainly difficult. She had lied to the old woman, telling her that she had seen a large rat during her short debriefing with the ANBU agent. Normally, Sakura was terrible at lying, but she somehow managed to cover this situation up. She hadn't planned on telling her the truth, that she was actually scared of the sudden appearance of her creepy, former sensei. It was downright humiliating.

The young kunoichi ended up sleeping an hour before midnight. She definitely would have slept better if it weren't for the constant images of Kakashi popping up in her mind. She really wished she hadn't allowed him inside and pushed him off the ledge instead, but there was no denying the growing desire of wanting to be close to him.

When the morning came, Sakura wondered how she would handle the Team Seven reunion this afternoon. Of course, she wouldn't want to miss it. It had been months since her and her teammates began training with the absence of Naruto. She missed his loud yapping and complaining, but she was worrying about hearing too much of it. Her biggest concern, however, was Kakashi's presence. After working side-by-side with him for years straight, she had gotten used to the person he was. Yet, from time to time, she still couldn't help the sudden jitters and flushes from being near him. Naruto fell for her lies all the time, Yamato never prodded at her personal predicaments, and Sai merely questioned her abilities to stay composed. But there was never a time when Kakashi would not pursue her about her problems.

Kakashi knew when to keep investigating, or when to stop. He was aware of how far he could go with his limits. Sakura often approached him about various issues and he willingly gave her assistance or advice. She rarely offered much detail, but because of his extraordinary deduction skills, he was usually able to understand the issue. In the end, keeping all of her secrets to herself didn't exactly matter, but _this_ secret was one that she would not dare have him explore.

Sakura's flushed face emerged from her now deformed pillow and she cursed silently. After taking a few moments to stretch her limbs, she hauled herself off her bed. Her feet dragged lifelessly against the carpet floor as she trudged towards the bathroom. She had a couple of hours before she had to leave for training.

She hoped it would be enough time to get her act together.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

As Kakashi tiredly traced the rim of an empty cup that was once filled with tea, he wondered if his exhaustion was still existent from his mission, or if it was from the peculiar conversation he shared with his student the previous night. He didn't know how to handle such situations, and normally he'd prefer to stay away from them. However, he didn't want them going unresolved either.

He shut his sole eye and ran a hand through his silver hair. Why were females so complicated?

"Senpai, are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

The jonin stared at Yamato from across the table as he leaned forward slightly, his eyebrows furrowing. Yamato invited him earlier this morning for tea and, hoping to clear his mind of those irrelevant thoughts, he accepted the invite. It worked for a short while, but as the conversation slowly became less interesting, he eventually began to focus on more important things. Thinking back to it now, he felt somewhat bad for not being a good friend he was and listen to him.

As he scratched his masked chin thoughtfully, the silver-haired man failed to notice the questionable glance his friend shot him.

"Okay, now I know that you're not listening to me at all," Yamato sighed drastically, bringing his cup up to finish the last of his tea before nearly dropping it back down onto the tabletop.

Kakashi blinked confusedly as he tried to recollect the words Yamato had said. "Uh, sorry."

Yamato looked at him keenly and adjusted the metallic headgear strapped onto his head. "You know, it's rare to see you like this on your days off. What's troubling you?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's nothing, really."

"Come on, senpai. It can't just be nothing."

The jonin shook his head and slouched forward, bringing his folded arms closer towards his chest. "Well, what would you do if you knew something that you weren't supposed to find out?"

His junior could only stare at him in surprise. "Um, I'd probably be honest. It'd take a while for me to gather enough guts to do it, but maybe that's the only right way to handle a conflict like that. If you just kept it to yourself, things would get out of hand. As shinobi, we've seen a lot of gruesome things happen right in front of us. We understand what are dangerous and what are not. Do you know what I think?" He extended his index finger, like how a teacher would do when lecturing their students. "I think that keeping secrets are one of the biggest dangers out there."

It was times like these when Kakashi actually looked up to Yamato. He was strong, not only physically but mentally as well. He often handled situations intelligently and calmly without ever breaking a sweat. He could move forward without hesitation. Unlike Yamato, Kakashi was incapable of doing all of those things.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

Once Sakura stepped into the Training field, she wasn't sure what scared her the most: seeing Naruto running towards her, prepared to give her a bear hug, or seeing Kakashi waving politely at her, his single eye cringing happily. After being released from Naruto's deadly embrace, she tried not to break a sweat as she greeted her former mentor and other teammates. She thought she was ready to face him without a mental breakdown, but as soon as she spotted that masked face of his, her confidence went straight down the drain.

The situation became even worse when Yamato suggested that Kakashi, her, and Naruto would be on one time while he and Sai would be on the other. She expected everyone to agree, and they all did. Her decision was obviously a no, but since it was four against five, she made no effort to argue. As the two squads separated themselves and fled into different sectors of the forest, Sakura found herself wounding up traveling with Kakashi. Of course it had to be him, she thought. The Gods just loved to torture her and watch her wriggle in incessant pain.

Sakura stopped on a branch beneath a canopy large enough to keep her hidden. As she planted her hand on the mossy tree bark, she heard her partner landing softly on a branch behind her. Sighing, she listened for any sign of movement within the grounds below.

"Sakura, can I ask you something?" The monotone voice of her former mentor rang in her ears, sending chills running down her spine.

The pink-haired kunoichi slowly turned around to confront him, bringing her arms back and twining her fingers together. She caught his mismatched glare and saw that he was dead serious. "I really don't think this is the time for a conversation, sensei. We're going to get caught before we even ambush," she reasoned out silently.

He exhaled and glanced up at the blue afternoon sky. "Maybe so. I just wanted…to thank you for coming. Naruto seemed really happy."

His words hung in the heavy atmosphere. They ran through her mind repeatedly and it did not take long for Sakura to process the emotions behind the statement. His words were strained, and she couldn't help thinking that he was feeling conflicted. Bitter guilt drowned her heart as her arms dropped to her side, her fists clenching, relaxing, and then clenching again.

There was a short moment of silence, and then Sakura breathed in quietly. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, sensei," she answered, smiling in reassurance.

Before he could say anything more, there came a faint shout from the north. The two ninja exchanged glances before leaping to the forest floor and speeding towards the source of the sound, only to discover Naruto taking on both Sai and Yamato.

Her battle instincts instantly took over and without thinking another thought, Sakura called Kakashi to formation. Kakashi bent his knees and locked his position in, holding his hands below his waist as Sakura stepped carefully onto them. It was only a few seconds before she was shot high into the sky. As Kakashi ran to their opponents, Sakura plunged down and dove her fist deep into the earth. The ground crackled and split into many different shards of rocks, diverting Sai's and Yamato's attention.

While they were distracted, Kakashi ambushed Yamato and Sakura and Naruto rushed to fight it out with Sai. The pale-skinned ninja was no match for Naruto's and Sakura's combined power and was brought to his knees within a couple of minutes. With a tired sigh, she turned to watch Kakashi end the match between him and his junior.

Their gazes suddenly locked, and she found herself being unable to pull away. The familiar, fuzzy warmth began to pool into her stomach and she anxiously bit onto her bottom lip. Mesmerized by his darkening eyes, the kunoichi failed to notice her opponent rising to his feet. There was a soft grunt and Sakura looked over her shoulder. Naruto had seized Sai's fist from inching any further, Sai panting heavily as he eyed his female comrade.

"I think that's enough training for now, Sai," announced Naruto, flashing a quick smile before releasing him. He laughed as he stepped away, rubbing the back of his sticky, tan neck. "I guess Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and I won this time!"

"That's not fair, Naruto," Sai began nonchalantly, "Ugly wasn't paying any attention. If I had attacked her once more, she would have learned her lesson. You're not supposed to turn your back to your enemies. It's the quickest and easiest way to get killed."

"You have a point," noted the blonde, rubbing his chin. There was a small pause, and then he pointed at Sai barbarically. "But this is not a battlefield, Sai! Why do you always have to take things so seriously!"

Naruto started to rant about Sai's abnormal personality and Sakura, losing interest in there babble, glanced at her former mentor again. Yamato was no longer by his side, but was now approaching the two fighting boys with the means of separating them. Kakashi had retrieved one of Jiraya's famed Icha Icha novels and was currently reading. As the seconds ticked by, Sakura realized that he had only been staring blankly at the pages. His eyes were concentrated, and she could barely point out an outline of a small frown on his masked face.

"Oi, Kakashi-senpai, Sakura-chan!" Yamato waved at them in hopes of capturing their attention. Naruto and Sai had stopped arguing. Naruto was jumping giddily and Sai simply watched the idiot with astonishment. "We're heading down to Ichiraku Ramen now! Aren't you two coming?"

The silver-haired man swatted his hand in the air, his silent gesture for, "I'll catch up." Sakura looked at him questionably, then looked at the other three standing from across the training facility. She twiddled with her thumbs, contemplating whether to go after them or wait for Kakashi. After recalling the somewhat frustrated expression in the man's lone eye, Inner Sakura slumped to the ground in defeat.

Sakura sucked in a deep breath. "I'll meet up with you guys there! I dropped something during our spar and I need to find it!"

Naruto was obviously puzzled, but Yamato dragged him away before there could be any questioning. She watched them depart the area, then moved to stand by Kakashi's side. She peered curiously over his shoulder and observed the unread pages of his Icha Icha novel. He slowly closed the two flaps of the book, noticing her appearance, and she backed away.

"I thought you were going to look for something," he wondered with a hum.

She placed her hands on her hips. "Sensei, I figured you'd be able to tell whether I'm lying or not."

His head tilted a bit to the right, his silver hair drooping over the side of his hitai-ate. "You don't have to wait for me. I just needed a few moments to myself."

The pinkette gazed at him softly, a billion thoughts reeling through her mind. She appreciated the fact that he respected her privacy and was no longer prodding as usual. However, she had neglected him so many times before without giving him a proper reason. After going over the details, it just seemed unfair.

"Sensei." Sakura cleared her throat nervously. "I need to talk to you about something important."

Kakashi was startled at her announcement. He blinked confusedly, turning to face her as he put his gloved hands out in front of him. "Sakura, I know I told you that I'm here for you, but I'm not forcing you to talk about it now."

"No, you're my former mentor," she urged silently, "and I think I was wrong trying to keep my conflicts to myself."

A sense of relief came over him and she could see his limbs relaxing into his normal, lackadaisical posture. Sakura calmed herself, mentally preparing her words carefully before facing the man completely. He looked at her oddly and she shuddered. "Kakashi-sensei…" His name rolled off of her tongue with a slight drawl, leaving a numbing sensation behind. "Before I start, I have to ask you…back when you confronted me in front of my apartment, did you hear what I was mumbling to myself in the hall?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Well I heard Ino talking to you, which was one of the factors that raised my curiosity," he remembered, slowly. "I believe I heard you muttering something about having a crush?"

She felt her cheeks redden and it was a couple of seconds until the realization dawned upon him. "Is this what it's all about? A crush?" he questioned nonchalantly, taking a step forward.

Her beryl eyes fell to the floor and she began to shift her weight from one foot to another. "Kakashi-sensei, I really like this person…but I don't know what to do."

There was a short period of awkward silence.

"How much do you like him?" she heard him ask cautiously.

Sakura's eyelids clasped closed and her breath hitched. "I…I don't know," she answered honestly. "It's just that…whenever I see him, I lose my composure. I can't talk properly and my body starts to grow numb. Every time he looks at me I blush, and every time he smiles, I practically melt." Her heart began to pound rapidly against her rib cage, but there was this unusual, calming feeling stirring in her chest.

Her head lifted enough to see his soft, tangible eye looking right at her. Suddenly, the hesitation within her vanished as she found herself lost in his glare. "He's…a really nice person. He cares about his friends and treats them like family. He's passionate about what he does and always gives it his all. Sometimes, he can be a bit too lazy and blunt, and he often loses track of time…He can be reclusive and doesn't like saying much about himself, but that's what makes him interesting." Sakura chuckled at herself, wondering why she was here, telling him about her predicament. She tucked an errant strand of her pink hair behind her ear, smiling sadly. "I like him, but I'm afraid of ruining the friendship we already have. I like him, but I know that feeling this way about him is wrong."

Kakashi had always been there for her, whether it was helping her out with the groceries or lending her a shoulder to cry on. Since Sasuke's departure, Team Seven had gotten awfully close. It was during this time when Sakura discovered that she formed an attachment with Kakashi. As the years passed, she lost sight of the friendship they had. It was then when her compassionate feelings for him began to develop. At first, she thought it was another infatuation, like it had been with the Uchiha. After a while, she had to face the facts that she did indeed have feelings for that man. Of course, she refused to believe it was true, and even now she tried to convince herself that this was all a simple phase growing women experienced.

She was well aware that loving a man who was both fourteen years her senior and her former mentor would bring her misfortune. Such a relationship would bring nasty talk to the village, and it would damage her and him greatly. In spite of knowing these things, she still yearned to be by his side every minute of every single day. She wanted to feel this way about him, but what were the chances that he'd actually feel the same way about her?

"Sakura." His gloved hand fell on top of her shoulder and their gazes locked. "There's nothing wrong with falling in love."

Her eyes widened. "Sensei…"

"I'm not good with these kinds of things," he confessed, "but Sakura, if you do feel this strongly about this guy, you should talk about it to him. I'm not telling you to do it now, but I'm not telling you to wait either. If you two really are good friends…I think that you should tell him."

He gave her a masked grin, his eye cringing happily at her. His hand fell to his side, then was pushed deep into the pocket of his dark linen pants. The jonin started off in the other direction, taking small steps in the direction of the facility's exit. Sakura looked at his departing figure, staring at the back of his head, a bitter smile spreading across her red-tinted face.

As Sakura ran after Kakashi, she scolded herself. She wasn't supposed to fall for her former sensei, but she did. And for that, she was a fool.

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**_Reviews are Appreciated!_**


	4. Inexperienced

**_A/N: _**Hello, I appreciate all of your reviews, favorites, and follows! I love you all! And a happy belated birthday to my favorite Hatake Kakashi! (:

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

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**_Fool_**

**_Chapter Four: Inexperienced_**

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A week had gone by like the wind. Going back and forth from busy shifts at the hospital and tiring sparring sessions with her team did not leave Sakura a chance to keep track of time. After anonymously confessing her feelings, she no longer felt as nervous as she used to. There were brief moments where she was actually motivated to pursue her love interest, but the logical part of her restrained her from doing so.

Kakashi did not confront her since then, and she suspected it was because he was finally brought an explanation. He had learned the cause of her odd behavior and therefore had no more reasons to approach her. She missed having long conversations with him, whether the topic was serious or not. He did, however, have closer acquaintances and most likely preferred to discuss his personal matters with them. Sakura knew this well enough and stayed out of his way. Kakashi was an adult and would of course choose to talk to someone like Genma over a younger person, such as herself.

Pressing her lips together, Sakura strode through the double doors and entered the slightly packed cafeteria. She fell in line with a burgundy tray resting in her hands. After selecting the portions of her lunch, she wandered aimlessly about the rows of tables. Many of her coworkers and trainees greeted her with kind greetings and smiles. They were all wearing white uniforms that blended in smoothly with each other, making it a tad bit difficult to point out a person's identity. But once she saw a hand barbarically wave at her from the other end of the cafeteria, a pair of blue eyes peaking out from the crowd, there was no denying that her best friend and rival, Ino Yamanaka, was calling her over.

After snaking her way through the remaining tables, she slipped into her seat, dropping her tray of food gently in front of her, and smiled at her friend. "Hey, Ino. How was your short vacation?" she asked politely, stabbing her food with her fork.

"Oh, it was so frustrating!" exclaimed Ino, with a half-full mouth. Her eyes were shining fiercely and it became evident that she had many stories to tell.

Sakura swallowed slowly and rose a brow. "Why? Did something happen?"

Her companion's hands planted firmly on the tabletop. "That damned Shikamaru is what happened!"

The pink-haired kunoichi had almost forgotten about Ino's interest in Shikamaru. She had a crush on him for as long as she could remember, and it hadn't wavered since the development of her feelings. Ino had been struggling in getting Shikamaru to like her, or to at least realize that she liked him. He was a lazy, transparent shinobi that didn't completely see through an entire situation, unless it was something tactical. He was complacent at times and certainly acted a lot like Sai when it came to crushes and love.

Sakura almost felt bad for her, but at the same time didn't really support her plans of chasing after the boy.

"I invited him to a small tea house, specifically telling him it'd just be the two of us. You know, as 'friends'. But do you know what he did? He brought Choji along with him, and that guy ate almost everything we ordered! He didn't even leave room for a conversation about me and Shikamaru!" Ino let out an irritated sigh and brought the palm of her hand to her forehead. "Geez! Why do men have to be so complicated!"

Sakura stared at her despairing friend, then pushed her meal aside. "Ino, if you really like him, why don't you just tell him? You guys have been friends for a long time, so I think he'd be able to understand and consider your feelings."

Ino's gaze rose, confusion illustrated on her peachy face. It took her a while to process those words, and once she did, she laughed.

"What's so funny?"

She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and giggled. "That's so silly, Forehead!"

The said girl flinched, cheeks growing red. "W-Why? Is it a stupid idea?"

"No, no, believe me. It's not!" assured Ino, grinning. "It's just that I thought you'd know by now that I can't do that! I'm not as courageous as other people to confess my feelings to the person I like. It would be great if I had that much courage, but I don't. I'll probably just stick to my wild plans, but thank you for the thought, Forehead."

Sakura blinked. She had forgotten that it took courage and bravery to do such things. Courage was knowing the possibilities of death or loss when going into battle. Courage was facing an opponent who was stronger and dangerous. Being a shinobi meant having to be brave for every minute of every day in a person's life. She was used to sacrificing her life for others and was not afraid to do so. Yet, the courage in confessing how you felt about someone felt far more different. It seemed far more different. She honestly didn't know why.

Suddenly, the double doors were thrown open and one ANBU agent stepped in. An immediate silence fell over the room.

The masked ninja coughed quietly. "I am looking for Sakura Haruno, apprentice of Lady Hokage," he announced.

Sakura rose from her chair slowly. "Yes?"

He adjusted the mask covering his face, his ANBU gear rattling gently against each other. "Lady Hokage summons you to the Hokage's Tower. I was given specific orders to escort you there. We must leave this instant."

She shot a glance at Ino and the blonde shooed her, motioning for her to get going. Nodding, Sakura hurried out of the cafeteria and departed from the Hospital with the agent walking closely by her side.

The sun had settled behind the mountains and night had only just begun. The streets were desolate and only had the flickering lights to keep them company. Sakura walked slowly, weary of the ANBU beside her. He was lacking the dark cloak that most agents wore when patrolling the village. She could point out his tanned skin and pale, red hair. A portion of his face was exposed from the mask and his cheekbones were defined and dotted with faint freckles. He appeared to be young, perhaps a little older than she was.

"There's never a time when I don't get observed by other people," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," apologized Sakura. Disrespecting her seniors was one thing, but disrespecting an ANBU was definitely more consequential.

"No, it's quite alright," he replied softly.

Sakura fumbled with her fingers and glanced at him again. "I know your mission details are restricted from regular shinobi, but why are you escorting me?"

There was a short sigh. "I have received many peculiar orders from the Hokage and my supervisors. They all have their reasons for giving out these kinds of orders, but I will admit that this is probably by far the most oddest one I've had. Why am I escorting you, Sakura Haruno, apprentice of Lady Hokage and the second best medical ninja in the Fire Nation? I do not know. But once given orders, you must always carry them out, no matter what condition, no matter what situation. Family and friends may come first, but there always will be orders that need to be followed. As shinobi, we must fulfill that duty. Am I not correct?"

She hummed, lifting her chin to look up at the starry night sky. "But sometimes those orders need to be abandoned."

The ANBU seemed startled, for he had momentarily stopped walking. He was obviously trained under harsh conditions, most likely under the supervision of Danzo when he was still alive. Back then, all agents were eliminated of most emotion and were taught to follow any given order, no matter what the sacrifice was. Since the man's downfall, the institution was being reconstructed and the agents were gradually learning how to feel emotion again.

"'In the shinobi world, those that break the written and unwritten rules are deemed trash…but that as it may be…Those that would disregard their comrades so easily are even worse than trash. And those who don't have the decency to respect the memories of their comrades are the worst.'" Sakura recited the words of her former mentor carefully, recalling when he had given Team Seven their first lecture. "Missions may be important, but protecting the people you care about is your priority. Don't you have people that you care about?"

He was silent and never answered her question. Sakura left it at that, knowing that she had spoken too much with the agent, and continued to walk alongside him. Ten minutes passed before they reached the Hokage's Tower. The hallways were empty and dimly light, portraying a somewhat eerie setting. When they reached the door leading to Tsunade's office, the ANBU agent stopped.

"This is where we depart," he murmured.

Sakura nodded. "Thank you for escorting me."

"No." He bowed his head in respect, his arms firm by his sides. "Thank _you_, Sakura-san."

For a moment, the kunoichi was stunned. She then smiled and tapped on his cat-like mask. He straightened himself and although it was impossible to see his face, she could tell by his stiffened posture that he was puzzled. "Please, drop the honorific," she chuckled. "Have a good night."

She entered her master's office, already aware of the abrupt absence of the ANBU operative behind her. Taking in a deep breath, she observed the circular room, noticing that Kakashi, Yamato, and Genma were present, standing offside of Tsunade's desk. Tsunade was sitting patiently in her chair, giving her pupil a serious glare as she stepped forward.

Sakura cleared her throat. "You called for me, shishou?"

"Yes, I did." Tsunade traced the tip of her sake bottle, the padding on her finger collecting little drops of alcohol. "I have a mission for you, Sakura. It may not be something you like, but right now you are the only kunoichi in this village capable of completing this role. And I will not take no for an answer."

The young girl pressed her lips together. She glanced at the three older men standing aside, making note of their discomforted appearance. Yamato was staring anxiously at her while Genma simply gave her a concerned look. Kakashi, on the other hand, refused to even take a glimpse of her. His gaze was fixated on the wall to the left of him, his hands clenching and then relaxing.

"What are the mission details?" she asked relucantly.

The blonde woman folded her hands across her desk. "There was reported activity of illegal drug distribution in a village on the east border line of the Fire Nation. Apparently those drugs were developed by Orochimaru to increase the power of the cursed seals and were stolen from one of his hidden hideouts. Our village was informed that there is a gang of his past test subjects, who are most likely the cause of this distribution. If these drugs fall into the wrong hands, each nation can be potentially harmed. It is a very serious threat that needs to be eliminated."

Sakura processed the information slowly. "So we just have to kill them, right? To prevent them from causing further trouble?"

Tsunade exhaled and leaned back in her seat. "That is correct, but we need to take this process slowly. It is said that the gang had found refuge in the village and currently is living there. If you barge in without knowing much about your opponents and the location of the drugs, the entire mission will fall to pieces. In addition, ambushing in the village is dangerous because you'd be risking many innocent lives. Understood?"

"Yes, but…" The pinkette pointed at the three men. "Why do they need to be here?"

"Because you will be spending a long time in that village gathering information and preparing your plans, you will need fake identities. It is an isolated village, so most villagers there are not aware about the shinobi surrounding them. Therefore, you can all use your real names. However, each of you will have a role. Yamato and Genma will act as brothers in search of jobs." The Hokage paused quickly, as if she was contemplating whether to continue or not. "As for you, Sakura, you will be playing the fiancee of Kakashi."

Sakura suddenly lost all of her calm composure. Her bones stiffened and her muscles tensed up. She could feel her face grow warm at the idea of her and Kakashi being close together. "P-Pardon, shishou?" she stuttered, flushing a deep shade of red.

"You heard me, Sakura. You and Kakashi will be a couple on this mission. You will have to act like a couple, you will have to sound like a couple. That is that."

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

Sakura was still in shock as she followed Yamato, Kakashi, and Genma down the sidewalk, a feet's distance away from them. Tsunade had forced them to arrange preparations for their mission that would be taking place in two days. Yamato had silently suggested that they visit the market in the western part of the Hidden Leaf. The market was open until midnight and often had all of the necessities of both shinobi and civilian people. When they arrived, there were still a few customers wandering around, selecting their groceries or souvenirs. Yamato went to the fresh produce stalls, accompanied by Genma, and Kakashi left her without a word to search for useful weapons.

She gazed blankly at the back of his head, her cheeks tinted pink. No wonder he had been so withdrawn. Being forcefully instructed to act as the fiance of his former student was without a doubt a shocker. It was certain that once this mission was over, the both of them would never be able to look at each other the same way again. Kakashi could play the role of an assassin, villager, or relative, but she knew very well that playing the role of a person's fiance was out of the question.

Sighing, she pushed away all of her conflicting thoughts and began to scavenge for medicinal supplies. Once she finished her little shopping spree, she regrouped with the three older men and they all began their trek home. It was completely silent. No one bothered to start a conversation, not even Genma, one of the most talkative people she knew. Because of this, the kunoichi couldn't help thinking that they were all squeamish about the mission arrangements.

All of a sudden, Sakura found herself running into her former mentor's back. Blinking confusedly, she stepped back and watched as he turned around to confront her. He took hold of her wrist, and there was a look in his eye that she had never seen before.

"Sen…sei?" she said, suddenly frightened by the change of his demeanor.

Hearing her fragile voice, Yamato and Genma stopped in their tracks and looked back at them curiously. Kakashi did not stop at that and came closer and closer. His masked lips brushed against the paling skin on her neck and she shuddered tremendously, her eyelids fluttering closed. Her hands held onto his flak jacket, her fingers digging deep into the fabric. "S-Sensei," she uttered in small squeaks.

"Kakashi," warned Genma, his tone uneasy. "I don't think this is the time to do these kind of things."

"You don't think it's the time for this?" she heard Yamato gawk. "He shouldn't be doing this at all! Senpai!"

He only seized his actions for a short moment and continued to explore her body. His hands fell to her waist and his head was buried beneath the nape of her neck. Sakura bit her lip hard, trembling anxiously as his silver hairs tickled her chin. Her heart began to race as his strong, musky scent filled her nostrils, intoxicating her lungs and making it harder to breath. Finally being unable to take the alienated pleasure, she pushed him away and he stumbled back slightly. The look in his eye did not change as she gazed up at him. It almost seemed as if he was expecting for it to happen.

There was a small pause.

"You're a virgin, aren't you, Sakura?" he murmured nonchalantly.

Sakura's beryl eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. She couldn't argue that she wasn't a virgin, because his assumption was very true. She was indeed a virgin. The interest of losing her virginity was lost due to the massive amount of time she put forward into working at the hospital. Although it was required for a kunoichi to lose their virginity in order to advance in mission rankings, she never searched for the opportunity to do so. Men nowadays were much too hungry and lustful. She was hoping to find a decent man, or someone she actually liked and trusted. The idea of having sex with a stranger was not to be considered.

The pink-haired girl balled her fists. "So what if I am?" she demanded dryly. "This mission has no sexual activity involved, so what's the problem?"

Kakashi sighed, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his linen pants. He lowered his head slightly. "The problem is that you don't have any experience with both men and relationships. This means that if you go out there like this now, unprepared and inexperienced, our cover would be blown and this mission would fall to pieces. Having you around will only make the mission difficult, and the mission is already difficult as it is."

Her lips parted and all of the air left her lungs. A sharp pang of pain shot right through her chest, leaving her completely hollow. Was he telling her that she was useless?

"Sakura, I'm sorry," continued Kakashi. He slowly turned on his heel, the bag of weapons hanging from his arm rattling silently. "Even though Tsunade-sama said that it is mandatory that you fulfill this role, in my eyes you will never be fitted enough to do this."

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

"Don't pay any attention to him, Sakura-chan. Kakashi is just being an ass," comforted Genma, giving her a reassuring pat on the back.

After Kakashi left Yamato ran after him, bewildered that he had put Sakura down. Genma stuck with her and wanted to walk her home, and being too shocked to say anything, she permitted it. If she had heard those words from someone else, she wouldn't have been as affected as she was with Kakashi. Hearing something like that come from someone who she looked up to and trusted totally crushed her. She didn't even realize that she was crying until Genma offered her a handkerchief.

"No, Genma," she muttered, wiping the remaining tears from her face. "Sensei is right. I don't have experience and I'll just blow our cover. I'd just be a burden."

"Sakura-chan," exhaled Genma, threading his fingers through his silky, brown hair. "I don't wanna hear this coming from you. You're a strong girl and I know that you are capable of aiding us in this mission. Just relax and everything will be fine. Don't listen to that ass-face Kakashi."

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, recalling the coldness of Kakashi's tone. There were times when Sakura had seen Kakashi get angry. When he was mad, he was a whole different person. She didn't know how to describe it, but seeing him behave that way was rare. Experiencing it, however, was on a whole other level. Never in her entire life had she felt so strongly despised.

A frown made its way to her lips. "Genma, does Kakashi resent me?"

It seemed like a silly question, she thought, but she deemed it as important.

Genma let out an abrupt chuckle. "Are you kidding me? You're his favorite squad member! Sometimes he just can't stop talking about how much you've improved and grown!"

She gazed at him in disbelief. She realized, from the familiar honest grin spread across his face, that he was not lying.

"Sakura-chan, Kakashi is just a bit conflicted at the moment," he explained. He brought his intertwined hands to the back of his head, his elbows extending outward. "He knows how relationships work and how they need to be done, but he can never get used to them. He's uncomfortable because he has to act like a fiance, _your_ fiance. Kakashi knows that you are inexperienced and doesn't want to take your first experience away. It's a little complicated, but you just have to bear with him for a while longer."

The jonin flashed another smile and ruffled the top of her head. "He's worried about you, Sakura-chan. He'd never hate you, not in a million years."

When Sakura arrived home, she thanked Genma for his company and watched him depart. After closing and locking the door to her apartment complex, she tiredly dragged herself to her bathroom, stripping herself clean and throwing her clothes into the hamper along the way. She took a long, hot bath before plopping onto her bed and burying her face into her favorite pillow.

The night flew by and the following morning, Sakura discovered a note tucked into the door on her way out to work. There were only two words scratched onto the small, wrinkled paper. But, for some odd reason, she found both great comfort and bitter discomfort in them.

_I'm sorry._

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**_Thank you for reading!_**

**_Reviews Are Appreciated!_**


	5. A Cute Contradiction

_**A/N:**_ I am really grateful for all of your reviews, favorites, and follows. You guys just make my day (: School is difficult as usual, but fun at the same time. I signed up for the PSATs, so I will be doing that on October 19, a Saturday. It's a pretest, and I just want a feel of how the actual SATs will be like once I'm a junior. Anyways! A lot of you wanted to see more of the situation from Kakashi's point of view, so this chapter is dedicated to Kakashi's personal opinions and thoughts of the predicament! I hope you enjoy reading!

I would also appreciate if you can check out the new poll on my profile page. I am curious about your answers! (:

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

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**_Fool_**

**_Chapter Five: A Cute Contradiction_**

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The day of the mission finally arrived, and Kakashi was neither excited nor disappointed about it. He and his squad members set off first thing in the morning, bidding their farewells to Izumo and Kotetsu as they filed out of the Northern Gate. They traveled at a steady pace, following the dirt path that stretched beyond the forest. Their first stop would be at a small village nearby a waterway, but that destination was hours from where they were currently located.

Kakashi glanced at the back of his former student's head. From his angle, he could see how her pink hair would flow back nicely from the breeze, revealing her concentrated emerald eyes. She showed no sign of hurt from the previous night and he was glad that she was able to push his nasty remarks aside. He had heard from Genma that she cried, and he didn't mean to make her do so. At the same time, however, he wanted her to be aware of the situation and how he felt about it. He was grateful that Tsunade assigned him a partner that he trusted, but was also discomforted by the fact that his fake fiancée had to be Sakura.

It wasn't that she was incapable of fulfilling her role; Kakashi was worried, himself, that he wouldn't be able to keep up the act. He simply just couldn't see Sakura as more than his own student. He had been there by her side since her promotion to a genin, watching keenly as her personality and strong abilities developed. Sakura had always been his student and always will be. Concerning their relationship, he didn't know whether to consider themselves friends. He just didn't know.

Running his fingers through his silver mane, he let out a tired sigh. "Can I ask you guys a question?" he said reluctantly.

Yamato looked over his shoulder questioningly. "Sure, senpai."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his moist neck, contemplating for a short moment before proceeding to the question. "What…am I to you?"

Everyone stopped abruptly to turn around and stare at him. Kakashi stiffened slightly. He was beginning to regret asking once Genma blurted out laughing.

Wiping the corner of his right eye with the back of his index finger, Genma smiled, "Where the hell is this coming from? This isn't the Hatake I know!"

Shrugging, the silver-haired jonin looked elsewhere. "Just out of mere curiosity," he answered, his voice trailing off into an inaudible mumble.

Genma continued to laugh hysterically and Yamato exhaled, bringing his hand to his forehead to exaggerate his lenient frustration. Kakashi blinked confusedly, wondering whether his question was that amusing or if Genma's immaturity was larger than he had first thought. Frowning, he pulled on the strap of his knapsack and was about ready to move on, until he heard a feminine giggle.

He gazed quizzically at the pink-haired kunoichi, watching as her hand rose to cover her mouth, her dark lashes fluttering as her eyelids shortly clasped closed. "You're so silly, sensei," she spoke softly. "You should know by now that you're an amazing friend."

Genma's laughter fell to a halt and Yamato stopped his silent complaints. Kakashi glared at her, noticing the small, strained smile through the cracks between her fingers. Her gentle voice killed him, replacing his being as a whole with warm emptiness. He refused to look into the emotions resting in her faintly glowing eyes, for they would be his downfall.

Kakashi took in a deep breath, nature's fresh air soothing his constrained lungs. He walked over to Sakura and placed his hand on her shoulder. He gave her an appreciative squeeze. Eyeing the other two men, he pronounced, "Well, I think we've spent too much time lollygagging around. Let's get going, hmm?"

This time, he took the lead. He knew Sakura was trailing closely behind him, but he repetitively forced the thought out of his mind.

It was an hour before they arrived at their first stop, a small deserted village resting nearby a narrow stream that ran uphill into the valley. They ate at a little tea house before splitting up and searching for more useful tools and materials to buy. Of course, Sakura chose to tag along with him. He didn't think she really had a choice, however, for Yamato and Genma had already lost themselves within the many booths cluttered on the streets.

She did not talk to him, but would peer over at him curiously every once in a while. Her presence gave him a sense of comfort, but at the same time made him extremely antsy. He wondered if she had forgiven him for his rude announcement, and he wondered if she had seen his half-assed apology written on a piece of paper torn from one of his old mission reports. Probably not. He was a weak, humiliating human being. He was incapable of keeping his own frustrations at ease and couldn't even face her in person to apologize. Kakashi was already aware of how terrible a sensei he had been. No wonder Team Seven fell apart so quickly.

He frowned, and deciding that there was no acceptable merchandise available for purchase, he left the shopping area, his pink-haired student following at an angle. The sun was now sitting high in the clear, blue sky, suggesting that it was near noon. There was no hurry, for the mission currently had no deadline to follow up to. Pulling out his favorite Icha Icha novel, he tried to focus on his reading. Sakura didn't seem to mind and continued to observe the somewhat desolate scenery surrounding them.

Kakashi managed to get through three chapters before tiredly tucking the small novel back into his pouch. He had read the plot numerous times and it never bored him. Jiraiya's works were always the greatest and the conflict of the story was often captivating. Though, for some odd reason, he did not find interest in it at all today. It was certainly strange, and it was then when he realized that something was terribly wrong with him.

His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt his head begin to throb. Why was he so irritated and exhausted? Was his old age finally catching up to him?

He nearly groaned. Heaving a great, heavy breath, he glanced over at Sakura. She had seized in her steps a couple of feet away from him. Her eyes were glued anxiously on him and her face was peachy with nervousness. He rose a puzzled brow at her, tilting his head slightly to the left. "Sakura, is something the matter?" he asked cautiously.

She breathed in slowly. "I should be asking you that question, sensei."

His eye slid closed for only a short moment. His unusual behavior did not go unnoticed after all.

"I just have a small headache," he reassured with a lackadaisical drawl. "It's nothing major."

Sakura was silent for a while, and then her fists clenched and her arms became stiff at her sides. "Sensei, you don't have to worry about me," she murmured. "If that's how you really feel, then I will prove you wrong. I…I can handle it. That's a promise."

Kakashi immediately understood the presented topic.

He gazed softly at his former student, making note of the sudden burst of confidence flowing throughout her. She was pushing herself to confront him after what he had said and done to her. She didn't deserve the cold shoulder and there was not a time in the day when he wouldn't feel guilty about that night. Her courage was far more powerful than his because she was the one to step up first. He was going to be quite frank with himself. He wouldn't have ever gathered enough guts to tell her sorry in person.

Kakashi had never felt more respect for his former student.

Sighing, he daringly held out his hand. Sakura stared at him blankly and he chuckled uneasily at her confusion. "It's better to start practicing now than later," he clarified.

Sakura was obviously stunned, and not being able to wait any longer, Kakashi gently weaved his fingers between hers and held onto her hand. Her cheeks reddened and she looked in the other direction, too afraid to gaze up at him. Holding her hand was oddly comforting, yet gave him an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach at the same time. Feeling his own face heat up at the thoughts reeling through his mind, he proceeded to walk forward in hopes of driving his concentration elsewhere.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

"Hey, Yamato…" Genma addressed his brown-haired friend silently as he threw a rock into the air, catching it before it hit the ground. They had finished their mini shopping spree and were waiting patiently on the outskirts of the village. They searched for the other pair, but were not able to track down their position. Their hopes of finding them died out within a good ten minutes. Perhaps they could have kept searching, but they just didn't have the energy to do so.

"Yes, Genma?" answered Yamato. He sank to the ground and gazed inquisitively up at Genma.

"What did that ass-face Kakashi say when you went after him that night?"

The contorted expression displayed on Yamato's face was amusing, and it suggested that he found Kakashi's newly given nickname odd.

"Well that 'ass-face' didn't tell me anything," he finally replied. "I understand why he would make those remarks, but to say it aloud in front of Sakura…that was the coldest I have ever seen senpai been."

Kakashi was extremely reclusive and solitary back in his younger years. He refused to speak about his personal matters and rarely expressed any emotion. He had been depressed and furious, and being his close friend, Genma experienced most of that anger. However, he was passionate about protecting his comrades for as long as he could remember. This was the first time he had ever seen Kakashi behave that way towards his former student.

Yamato suddenly huffed. "I don't even know if he apologized to Sakura."

"Well…you know him. He'll work it out eventually."

"Eventually? Just how long will it be until then?"

Genma shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. I _do_ know that he will make it up to her. Kakashi may be cruel every once in a while, but he's not cruel enough."

Yamato's mouth opened to say something in return, but shut quickly. He caught sight of Sakura and Kakashi strolling slowly towards their direction. Kakashi gave a small wave and Genma pushed himself off the tree he was resting on to greet them. He could easily point out that the tension was no longer there. Of course, he was curious about what had happened to make that go away. However, knowing Kakashi, he'd probably never get a sufficient answer.

"Yo, sorry we were late," said Kakashi.

Genma snapped out of his trance and snorted. "I'd expect you to be late, but Sakura! I thought you were better than this ass-face!" He nudged the pink-haired kunoichi with a grin and her face noticeably began to redden.

"Ass-face?" Kakashi was evidently appalled by Genma's nickname for him and folded his arms across his chest.

After listening to Kakashi's terribly long lecture about Genma's immaturity, the four-man squad resumed their journey. Yamato and Sakura were keeping a steady pace ahead of the other two men. Seeing the opportunity to confront his elusive comrade, Genma stepped beside him and softly bumped his shoulder against him. Kakashi rose a puzzled brow at him.

Genma leaned closer to his silver-headed friend and hummed softly. "So, what's up?" he whispered.

He only received a shrug in a response.

He pressed his lips together for a short moment. "How do you feel about Sakura being your partner? Do you still have the same opinion?"

Kakashi rubbed the warm spot on the back of his neck and glanced shortly at Genma. "I'm not fond of the mission arrangements," he began silently, careful to make sure that the other two didn't overhear their conversation. "I don't think Sakura is ready."

"Kakashi…you gotta trust her on this."

"…I do."

Kakashi was gazing shyly at the ground, his eyebrow furrowing in contradiction. Genma was amazed by his sudden change of behavior, almost astounded. He never dreamed of the day where he would finally see the other side of the famed Copy Ninja. It was certainly a rare, unusual sight to begin with.

"I do trust her," the jonin began again. "So…I suppose I am willing to try, just for her."

If Genma had a recording device of some sort, he would have recorded every single affectionate word Kakashi had spoken.

**_~ X x . . . x X ~_**

The dark, starry night had consumed both the blue sky and its bright sun. Only half of the moon was shining and it faintly illuminated the landscape below. The fields were still, the wild forest animals were resting, and the owls were hooting their soft, lulling songs. Kakashi and his squad took refuge in a small, circular sector lying close to a stream. They gathered twigs, branches, and leaved before compiling it all into one spot. They lit their little campfire and took their seats on opposite sides. Yamato claimed a fallen tree and sat on its hollow trunk while Genma spread himself out on the dewy grass. Kakashi rested comfortably within a large crater in a tree with Sakura sitting on her knees next to him.

They ate their packed snacks and exchanged short, humorous stories. Genma explained how he tried convincing Anko into going on a date with him, but was rejected rudely along with a rough shove. Kakashi could only snort at his stupidity.

He yawned tiredly and lifted his chin. He stared up at the scattered stars and closed his lone eye. He prayed to Kami that trouble wouldn't find its way into their mission, and he prayed that he and his former student would be able to maintain the relationship they already have. The mission was obviously troublesome, but as much as he resented it, he knew he had to play his role effectively in order to get the job done correctly. If there were to be any screw ups, it wouldn't only hurt their objective, but it would hurt Sakura as well.

Kakashi never thought he'd have to take away Sakura's first experience in a true relationship. He wanted her to find someone more special to be with. He wasn't capable of being a kind, considerate sweetheart. He was aware of how much Sakura looked up to him, both as a role model and friend. He was also weary of her fragile feelings and emotions. Being with a man such as himself would only ruin her as a whole. That was something he most positively didn't want.

He shuddered at the thought and lowered his head. He glared into the burning flames of their campfire and listened intently to the subdued sound of the wood chips crackling, ignoring the chestnut-haired man's rant. Kakashi suddenly felt a thump on his shoulder and he glanced to his right. Sakura had fallen sound asleep on him. Her pale, porcelain skin was lit with a mixture of yellow and orange from the fire and her pink hair was hanging in adorably disheveled strands.

Clearing his drying throat, he put his arm around her, his hand gripping softly onto her petite shoulder. He shook her gently.

"Sakura," he murmured. There was no answer and he shook her again. "Sakura."

Sakura simply nuzzled her face deeper into the fabric of his sleeve and continued to snore softly. He prepared to shake her again, but the serene expression on her peachy face prevented him from doing so. Kakashi let out an exasperated sigh and let his arm fall limp around her small figure. He needed his personal space, but at the same time he didn't want to wake her.

Genma was still talking and hadn't taken notice of Sakura's absence of mind. Kakashi coughed. "Genma, I think you bored Sakura to sleep."

The senbon user abruptly paused in the middle of his story and looked over to the girl sleeping against her former mentor. "Oh," he exclaimed sheepishly.

Genma seemed to be embarrassed, for he stopped telling his wild tales. It was ten long minutes before him and Yamato fell asleep, leaving Kakashi to be the only one awake. He listened to the silent breaths of the pink-haired kunoichi and trembled every time she snuggled closer to his stiffening body. Her warmth embraced him and sent tremors running up and down his spine. Her sweet, pomegranate scent permeated his nostrils, intoxicating his lungs and filling him with an odd desire for more. He shook his head at the idea and cursed beneath his breath.

That night, Kakashi went to sleep with his former student cradled in his arms.

* * *

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**_Reviews Are Appreciated!_**


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